Compost-distributing machine



' Oct. 14,1930. J. M GREGOR COMPOST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 20,1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 14,

1930. J. MacGREGOR 1,778,115

COMPOST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1924 Oct.14, 1930. J. M sREGoR COMPOST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 20, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE Jenn MACGREGOB, onWHEATON, rumors oonrosr-msrnrnorme MACHINE Application filed December20, 1924. Serial :No. 757,145.

v wThisinvention relates to equipment for the care ofgolf courses, andparticularly for distributing compost upon the greens, though it'will bemanifest that the machine provided by the invention is capable of otherand moregeneral' use and l, of course, contemplate the inclusion,-withinthe scope of the invention, of all of the uses to which it maybe put; Ia

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a machineadaptedto perform the work now ordinarily done by a number of attendantsemployed for the care of golf courses, thereby greatly reducing laborcosts, aswell as more efficiently accomplishing the distribution ofcompost, or like material, upon the greens in the shortest possiblefspace ofrtime.

' A highly important feature of the invention is the provision of amachine for spreading compost, orthe likewhich is constructed of thefewest possible number of parts, so that it maybe produced at a costwhich will render it available and a great economy to every golf course,as well as for other purposes for which it is adapted. I

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description,

= 1.34 which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,discloses a preferred'embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

' Figure 1 is a top planview of a compost .B. distributor in which myinvention is embodied; r

Fig. 2 is a rearend elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Fig.dis a' sectional view, taken substan- 0' tially upon the sectionline4-4'in 5 and showing the ratchet construction by means of which thedrum is rotated by the wheels of the'machine; Z a

Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view, taken substantiallyupon the sectionline 55 in 'Fig. 4:; a I

I Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the distribut- -ing drum; and y I Fig. 7is a longitudinal section through 5 1 said drum and through the wheelsof the ma chine, taken substantially upon the section line 77 of Fig. 6.1 1 I In said drawings, which illustrate the best manner in'whi'ch Ihave thus far contemplated applying the principles of'my inven- 5.?tion, the reference character '21 indicates the Wheels of the machinewhich, in the present instance, are two in number and are rotatablymounted on a cross shaft or axle 22. These wheels may be of any suitabletype 0 and, as shown, are provided with pneumatic tires, of the typeemployed upon Ford automobiles. Rigidly mounted upon the shaft 22 is adrum 23,'which comprises an outer cylinder 24, of wire screen, endplates 25 and in .termediate' webs 26, said webs and platesbeing-preferably of cast material and the screen '24 being, of suitablemesh to properly scatter the compost, or other material, when the drumis rotated in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

" The end plates 25 are provided with hub parts 27'secured to the shaft22 by means of set screws 28 and the intermediate web members26 areformed with hubs 29 secured to said shaftby means of screws 31 so thatthe drum structure is rigid and strong and mounted as a unit forrotation with the shaft For the purpose of filling the screen, I providea hinged section, or door 32, which is hinged at 33 and adapted to beheld in closed position by means of a rod 34 extending throughcooperating eye-parts 35 provided re spectively upon'said door and uponthe fixed 'rearwardly and secured by means of bolts 42 to the inner endof the bar 36, and the latter being secured to said straps 38 at 43 andextending diagonally to a point of attachment to said bar 36, asindicated at 4A.

A drawbar 45 is provided at the front of the machine and is similar tothe push bar 36 handle is attached. A- chain 49 is securedat;

sired. I A brush 59 is suspended from the inwardly extending portionsofthestraps'; 38 by means in construction and means of attachment to theaxle. Steel straps 47 extend forwardly from the axle 22 and are bentinwardly at 4-7, the inwardly extending portions 46 of said straps 47being attached to said draw bar by means of bolts 46. Diagonal straps50, similar to the straps 39, are provided for bracing the draw bar anda one-piece handle 48',-similar to the handle 37, is provided at the endof said bar. The handles 37. and 48 are S67 cured in place by means of asingle bolt '50, extending through a two-part clamp and through the bodyof the bar to which the its opposite ends to the straps 38 and 47',respectively, as shown in Fig. 8, and is adapted to hold the draw andpush bars in raised position, the draw bar being adapted to be turnedback and to rest upon the push bar, in manner which will be readilyunderstood, when its use is not required. i

For the purpose of rotating the drum 23, I employ ratchet devices,clearlyillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing an'dadapted tooperatively connect the wheels 21 for rotation of said drum when themachine is moving in one direction only. Said device comprises a flangeddisk 51, which'is rigidly. secured to the wheel by means of bolts 52 andis provided with ratchet teeth 53 on the interior of the flange 54thereof, said teeth co;- operating with ratchet" members 55', which haveball ends 56 disposed in sockets 57 formed in the hub 27' and areprovided with points 58 adapted to be disposed by gravity in position toengage said teeth 53 in the lower part of their course of travel. Itwill be apparent that when the disk 51 is rotated in clockwisedirection, viewing Fig. 4:, which is, the direction of rotation when themachine is moving forward, said ratchet, will operate.

over the teeth 53 without efiect upon the drum,

so that the machine may be moved from place to place in inoperativecondition, when deof rods 61, extending upwardly" from channelshapedbrackets 61, positioned upon the top of the brush bar 62', the upperendsof said rodsbeirig bentinwardl'y, as indicated at 68,

and adapted to engage in apertures 64 in meta1 strips 65 depending fromthe straps 38. A spring clip 66 is provided on the underside of the pushbar 36 and is adapted to releaseablyengage the brush bar 62 when thelatter is raised,'whereby the brush may be held in inoperative positionwhen the machine is being moved from place to place and not in service.In order to provide sufficient pressure upon said brush to produce thedesired action thereof, I provide weights 70 upon the top of the brushbar, which may be of any suitable size and material and may be securedto said bar by means of bolts 70'. Obviously,

said weights may be removed and others substituted if it is desired tovary the pressure upon the brush. I

For the purpose of facilitating the passageof the material through thescreen 24, I provide a plate 68, which-is hinged at 69 above the ptransverse portions of the straps 38 and is adapted to ride upwardlyupon cam members 71,which are provided upon the drum, ex-

teriorly of the web members 26 and in suitable prises a minimum numberofparts capable of provision by standard processes, it being pointed out,in this connection, that'the end plates 25 and the webs 26,. as well asthe ratchet disk 51, may be cast and the exterior of the drum is formedby a single continuous. screen member, bolted, or otherwise secured, tosaid end plates andwebs in simple and eflicient manner I have found, byexperience, that wit-h the use of my machine, the number of attendantsnecessary to care for a golf course maybe very materially reduced, withconsequent saving of expense and rapidity in performance of the worknecessary in caring for the greens.

It is thought that the invention and many it will be apparent. thatvarious changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof. the'parts, without departing from the spirit and scope oftheinvention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the

form hereinbefore describedbeing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim: 5 V i l. A machine for distributing compost, or the like,comprising wheels, and a. distributing drum, comprising a cylinderhaving distributing openings therein, 'means' for supporting the samefrom said wheels and means for dislodging materialsticking totheinterior of said drum, said last mentioned means comprising liftingcams fastened upon the exterior of the drum, anda striker member adaptedto be elevated by said c-ams'and dropped onto the surface of the drumperiodically as the latter is revolved.

2. A machine for distributing compost or, the'like, comprising, wheels,means for directing the same, a distributing drum rotatable in aforwardly direction only and composed of a single continuous screenforming of its attendant advantages will beunderstood from.theforegoing'description, and

till

the periphery thereof, means upon which said screen is mounted, and aspreader brush mounted behind said drum, said brush being pivotallysupported and having weights thereon to hold it in contact with thesurface of the ground.

e 3. A machine for distributing compost and the like, comprising wheels,a distributing drum rotatable with said wheels and having a screensurface, said drum being adapted to contain material to be screened in adistribution, and a spreader brush mounted to follow said wheels andadapted to work the compost or the like into the'surface upon which itis deposited by said drum.

4. A machine for distributing compost i 1 and the like, comprisingwheels, a distributing drum rotatable with said wheels, said drum havinga screen surface adapted to screen and deposit contained material, astriker for periodically striking said drum, and a followerspreader'brush for spreading the material deposited from the drum into

